1. Field of the Invention
This present invention pertains to a pop-up drain assembly used to retain fluid in and release fluid from a sink or basin and more particularly to preventing debris such as hair from being caught in a drain pipe either by directing flow away from a pivot rod or by eliminating the pivot rod from within the drain pipe.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a lavatory or bathroom sink or basin equipped with a supply of running water for washing oneself, a pop-up drain assembly allows one to retain water in the sink or basin and then release the water to flow by gravity downwardly through a drain pipe. The sink or basin has an opening at a lowermost point, and a typical pop-up drain assembly comprises a drain conduit sealingly fastened to the sink or basin within the opening. A drain stopper is received in the drain conduit for sealing the opening and retaining water in the sink or basin. A pivot rod protrudes into the drain conduit and engages a bottom portion of the drain stopper. A lift rod is connected to the pivot rod. One can pull the lift rod up to pull the drain stopper down for sealing the opening in the bottom of the sink or basin for retaining water, and one can push the lift rod down to raise the drain stopper, which unseals the drain stopper and allows water to drain from the sink or basin. U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,306, issued to Hayman et al., illustrates quite well the components in a typical prior art pop-up drain assembly and is incorporated by reference for all purposes.
As water drains from the sink, the water flows around and along the drain stopper and over the portion of the pivot rod that protrudes into the drain conduit. Debris and/or waste in the water, such as soap, dirt, oils, toothpaste and particularly hair, catches on and clings to an end of the pivot rod, where the pivot rod protrudes into the drain conduit and engages with the bottom portion of the drain stopper. Accumulation of such debris and waste on the pivot rod and drain stopper clogs the drain conduit and causes water to not drain properly. To restore proper drainage through the drain conduit, one needs to remove and clean the pivot rod and the drain stopper. Removal of the pivot rod and drain stopper requires disassembly of a sealed connection of the pivot rod to the drain conduit, which is a messy and time-consuming task, and if a plumber is hired to provide the service, then it is also an expensive task. Improvements are needed in a pop-up drain assembly for reducing the accumulation of waste and debris in the drain assembly, and consequently, for reducing clogging in the drain assembly that slows or stops drainage through the drain conduit.